Research and analysis

Dry weather and drought in England: 29 August to 4 September 2025

Updated 19 September 2025

Applies to England

1. Summary

The last week was the wettest for England since the end of January. This alone is not going to reverse the impact of 7 consecutive months of below average rainfall.

It was the driest August across England since 2003, receiving just 42% of the long term average (LTA) rainfall. The majority of this fell in the last few days of the month with the arrival of ex-tropical storm Erin. Most of this rain was in the west and south, with less across central, eastern and north-eastern parts of the country.

Public water supply reservoir storage has continued to decline across most areas. Stocks across England for the period ending 2 September stood at 57.5%, falling by 2.5% over the last week. Stocks in the Pennines group and Yorkshire group now stand at 29.8% and 32.3%, respectively. Four other reservoirs are now below 40% full (Ardingly, Chew Valley, Blagdon and Clatworthy). On 25 August, South West Water moved its Colliford water resource zone and Anglian Water moved its Essex South water resource zone into drought level 1. Fifteen water companies have activated their drought plans, with 4 companies continuing to implement temporary use bans (TUBs). Two water companies have submitted 43 drought permits in total, with 5 granted by the Environment Agency and the rest in determination – these are mainly for Yorkshire Water. The Environment Agency continues to support Yorkshire Water due to concerns with public water supply and current impacts on the environment from this drought.

Recent rainfall has eased some pressures on the agriculture sector, but challenges remain during the rest of the harvest season. As of 4 September, there are 1,152 hands off flow restrictions in force on abstraction licences. The Environment Agency continues to provide support for irrigators, having received 28 requests for flexible abstractions (11 approved to date).

Environmental incidents due to drought or dry weather, including low flows, fish mortalities and algal blooms, have continued to rise across England. The Environment Agency Fisheries teams are responding to fish rescues and monitoring sites regularly. The Environment Agency has applied for 5 drought orders to protect the environment (2 granted and 3 in determination).

Widespread closures and restrictions remain in place across the Canal & River Trust network, with storage reservoirs to support the network experiencing their lowest levels for this point in the year. With the recent rainfall and rise in river levels, there has been a reduction of navigation issues on Environment Agency operated Oxford watercourses over the past week.

2. Area drought status

There have been no changes in area drought status this week.

2.1 Areas in drought

• Cumbria & Lancashire (CLA)
• Greater Manchester Merseyside & Cheshire (GMMC)
• Yorkshire (YOR)
• East Midlands (EMD)
• West Midlands (WMD)

2.2 Areas in prolonged dry weather

• North East (NEA)
• Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire (LNA)
• East Anglia (EAN)
• Thames (THM)
• Wessex (WSX)
• Solent and South Downs (SSD)

2.3 How the stages of drought response work

Each area is reviewing its status depending on the triggers they have outlined in their drought plan.

More detail of how the Environment Agency manages drought, including their 4 stages of drought response, is available in Drought: how it is managed in England.

3. Current water situation

It has been the driest August for England since 2003, but the wettest week since the end of January 2025. In August, England received 42% of the LTA rainfall. This varied from only 30% in the east, central and north-east, to 59% in the south-west.

Soil moisture deficits have reduced across England, more so in those areas that received the higher rainfall totals. However, soil moisture deficits are still close to their maxima across the east, central and north-east parts of the country.

The wet weather has seen river flows rise across most of Environment Agency indicator sites. Despite the rain, 19 sites (35% of the total) were below normal, with 9 (16%) notably low or below. Seventeen sites (31%) were classed as normal. Ten sites (18%) were above normal or higher. Five indicator sites remain exceptionally low for the time of year, including the:

• Ely Ouse in east England
• Rivers Derwent, Swale and Till in north-east England
• River Wye in Wales

Reservoir storage levels for England fell by 2.5% during the past week to 57.5% for the period ending 2 September. Stocks in the Pennines group and Yorkshire group now stand at 29.8% and 32.3%, respectively. Four other reported reservoirs are now below 40% full (Ardingly Chew Valley, Blagdon and Clatworthy).

Groundwater levels continue to recede across England, as we would expect at this time of year. Groundwater levels in the Chilterns, North Downs and across most of East Anglia are in their normal range for the time of year. Levels in faster responding chalk aquifers in Yorkshire and South Downs are below normal or notably low. Levels in the Wessex Downs and Cotswolds are exceptionally low for the time of year.

More details are available in the water situation reports for England.

4. Public water supply

Most water companies continue to act in line with their drought plans. However, some water companies are not implementing all the actions they have identified in their drought plan. Water companies report their drought response using operational drought levels, from drought level 1 escalating to level 4.

4.1 Anglian Water

Remains at drought level 1 in the following supply areas:

• Fenland
• Lincolnshire Central
• Norfolk Norwich and the Broads
• Ruthamford Central, North, South and West
• Essex South

4.2 Bristol Water

Remains at drought level 2. Reservoir storage continues to decline but has slowed this week. The company is continuing work to optimise sources and increase water treatment works output to slow reservoir decline.

4.3 Cambridge Water

Remains at drought level 1. There is no significant change to its water resource position from last week.

4.4 Essex and Suffolk Water

Remains at drought level 1 in its Essex and Northern Central supply areas. No significant change to water resource position from last week.

4.5 Northumbrian Water

Remains at drought level 1. No significant change to water resource position from last week.

4.6 Severn Trent Water

Remains at drought level 1b in its North Staffs and Strategic Grid North supply areas and at drought level 1a in its Central area. Reservoirs are continuing to decline.

4.7 Southern Water

Remains at drought level 2 in its Southampton West and Isle of Wight supply areas and implemented a TUB on 21 July for customers in these areas. Southern Water applied to Defra for a drought order to alter its River Test abstraction licence conditions. This is to allow the company to further abstract water below the sustainable level, where it would otherwise have had to stop to comply with the licence. If granted, this drought order will allow the company to abstract at lower flows in the River Test and this may impact protected species such as salmon. The company also included an application for a non-essential use drought order. The application was submitted on 18 July and following an objection to the drought order, a hearing took place on 28 August. The Planning Inspectorate will provide its report this week and Defra will make a determination within 7 calendar days of the report.

4.8 South East Water

Remains at drought level 2. The company implemented a TUB in its Kent and Sussex supply areas on 18 July. Arlington and Ardingly reservoirs continue to decline. South East Water applied for the Ardingly winter drought permit on 28 August. The company is reviewing further actions that may be required. More detail is available here: water latest South East Water.

4.9 South Staffordshire Water

Remains at drought level 2. Blithfield reservoir continues to decline.

4.10 Thames Water

Remains at drought level 2 in its Swindon and Oxfordshire supply area (SWOX) and drought level 1 in its London zone. Thames Water implemented a TUB for its SWOX customers on 22 July.

4.11 United Utilities

Remains at drought level 1 in its Strategic Grid and Carlisle supply areas. The company’s Pennine reservoirs continue to decline and remain of concern.

4.12 Veolia Water

Remains at drought level 1. There is no significant change to its water resource position from last week.

4.13 Wessex Water

Remains at drought level 1b. Reservoir storage continues to decline.

4.14 Yorkshire Water

Remains at drought level 2 and implemented a TUB on 11 July. Reservoirs continue to decline at a concerning rate. The expectation is that once drought permits are implemented, this should slow the rate of decline. The 2 Wharfe drought permits and the Ouse drought order were issued on 22 August. The north-west group drought permits went to a hearing on 22 August. Three south group drought permits were issued on 1 September. Yorkshire Water applied for its south-west group (20 drought permits) on 4 September. More detail is available on Yorkshire Waters’ website. 

5. Agriculture

Recent rainfall has eased some pressures on the agriculture sector, but challenges remain during the current harvest season. There are 1,152 hands off flow restrictions in force on abstraction licences. As harvesting of root vegetable crops continues, these restrictions will limit the ability to irrigate, especially if needed to lift the remainder of root crop vegetables. In some places the harvest of potatoes has slowed or stopped due to dry soil conditions which has presented a greater risk of bruising to the crop during harvest operations.

The effect of this year’s drought has been mixed. The 2025 harvest season started earlier than usual due to the long dry spell, with some crops harvested at the start of July. In some areas wheat has seen record yields whilst grass growth has been poor due to the dry weather. This has meant that farmers have used winter feed and forage earlier than planned in the year and are consequently buying additional food or selling animals to reduce pressure on winter feed supplies. Livestock farmers are facing a growing risk with forage and winter feed, which are currently of poor quality and in short supply, and therefore becoming increasingly expensive. The Addington Fund, which incorporates Forage Aid, has recently launched an emergency appeal to help the most in need livestock farmers struggling with forage and feed supplies ahead of this winter.

The sector faces great uncertainty if there is a dry autumn and winter. This will affect the ability for farmers to replenish farm irrigation reservoirs, especially if river flows remain low, which will impact on resilience for next year.

The need for Section 57 spray irrigation bans in parts of East Anglia and West Midlands is reducing due to the recent rainfall and lower demands from irrigators. We have previously written to licence holders in these areas requesting voluntary reductions on surface water abstraction. There are currently 835 voluntary restriction requests in place in total across the country.

We continue to engage and support the agriculture sector and in total we have received 28 flexible abstraction requests, including 15 requests in the Yorkshire area. These help abstractors manage with the exceptionally dry weather. Following the recent round of local resource options, we are reviewing applications to help farmers and growers improve long term water resilience.

We continue to proactively update our dry weather communications for the agriculture sector, through the Environment Agency dry weather farming blog and Water Hub webpage, to highlight support available to farmers to help improve access to water.

6. Energy

There are no known issues with the energy sector.

7. Environment

Environmental incidents due to drought or dry weather have continued to rise across England, with 229 recorded in the year to date. Relatively high concentrations have been recorded in the North West, across the West Midlands and close to the south coast.

Numbers of confirmed (category 1 to 3) low flow incidents are similar to corresponding counts from 2018, 2019 and 2020, but remain well below 2022 figures. There is difficulty maintaining desired water levels in Rivers Axe, Congresbury Yeo, Brue and Huntspill within Somerset Levels and Moors, with Natural England expressing concerns over levels in some designated areas. 

Low river flows have led to distress for fish in some areas. Environment Agency Fisheries teams continue with fish rescues and are monitoring sites regularly. A significant stretch of Burstwick Drain running alongside the River Hull has no detectable inflow and large numbers of fish in distress. The Environment Agency has deployed aeration to manage the situation there, but it is unlikely to resolve in the short term. Anglers have been impacted by low flows and reduced Kielder reservoir releases to the North Tyne for Northumbrian Water’s operational needs. Numbers of confirmed (category 1 to 3) incidents with dead fish remain below corresponding counts from previous years and the proportion of these due to drought or dry weather remains low (17%).

A similarly low proportion of this year’s algae incidents (13%), which have predominantly been recorded across London and the South East, have been attributed to drought or dry weather.

Other dry weather environmental impacts include the moorland fire near Scarborough, which has reached 100km² and is now a recovering situation. The tourist economy of Dales and Moors National Parks has been affected by moorland access restrictions.

Severn Regulation: there have been 81 days of regulation starting on 9 May 2025.

The Environment Agency has applied for 5 drought orders to protect the environment:

• one for Elslack reservoir (submitted on 26 June)
• one for Winterburn reservoir (submitted on 7 August)
• 2 for Holme Styes reservoir (granted 28 July and 3 September)
• one for Belmont reservoir (submitted on 15 August)

8. Navigation

Widespread closures and restrictions remain in place across the Canal & River Trust network due to the dry weather. Storage reservoirs to support the canal network are experiencing their lowest levels for this point in the year.

The latest closures and restrictions are listed on the Canal & River Trust website. Restrictions are being upgraded to closures and impacts are moving southwards. Some restrictions have been increased to navigation closures this week, including:

• Leeds to Liverpool Lock 1
• South Stratford at Preston Bagot Locks 36 to 51
• Aynho Weir lock (Oxford)

The Environment Agency, as the navigational authority for the River Thames, has been managing low flows through the Oxford watercourses, which include enforcing navigation restrictions in the Oxford area. With the recent rainfall and rise in river levels, there has been a reduction of navigation issues over the past week in the area.

9. Weather forecast

Friday 5 September is likely to be drier than of late, with only isolated light showers. Saturday should bring warm sunshine for many areas. From Sunday, conditions are expected to turn wet and windy from the south-west and remain unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain in western areas.

10. Drought readiness actions

In response to the drought and dry weather, the Environment Agency continues to act by: 

• operating our gold command structure for our national incident response
• coordinating closely with water companies to implement statutory drought plans, taking necessary action to safeguard public water supplies
• activating drought plans for those Environment Agency Areas in drought and PDW status
• enhancing abstraction licence compliance checks and issuing hands off flow or level restrictions and warnings to some abstractors in areas experiencing low flows
• monitoring, preparing and responding to incidents caused by low river flows, particularly in Environment Agency areas in drought status
• preparing dry weather advice to fishery operators to help protect their waters
• hosting regular national drought meetings

The next National Drought Group meeting is scheduled for 15 September.

11. Contact us

Contact drought.national@environment-agency.gov.uk if you have questions about this report.